Just in Time

Blankie #2 was finished just in the nick of time. I needed to hand it over for delivery at the Stampin' Up! party at 7pm last night, and I finished up around 6:52. Luckily, I live all of five miles from the party location, so I wasn't but a minute or two late. (The sister inlaw knows it hasn't been washed, and will hopefully whisper so in the recipient's ear.) It got rave reviews from the other ladies at the party, although they were my friends and family, so it's not like they were knitting critics. I doubt I'll ever do another one like it, so it is truly one of a kind and a big ol' labor of love.

Blankie #3 won't be given today after all. I have an upset tummy, and I don't want to risk it. It's all wrapped and was ready for the big presentation, but I don't play around with germs and pregnant women.

Here's the scrumptious cotton chenille (Crystal Palace color 2214) I picked up yesterday for the hubby's special facecloth. I still need to choose a pattern, because as soon as I finish the dishrag I'm doing now, I'm casting on for that and will finish it up tomorrow so he can think of me - and remember that honey do list I'm leaving - while I'm in Boston. Forgive the shadows, but I had a terrible time finding a background that did justice to the color, and then you got stuck with the shadow from my arm. (Look, I can't learn to knit, blog AND master digital photography all at the same time, and TBL has priorities!)

There's the work in progress, the butterfly lace dishcloth from here.

That's all the cotton for the stuff for my mother (she doesn't know about this blog, and I'm pretty sure she won't stumble across it) for her May birthday and Mothers Day. I must admit, it is GREAT to have the almost instant gratification of a small project, and I love that this pattern changes every single row! I needed that after Blankie #2, my first slog along project. I'm also liking this cotton more than I thought I would. It's softer knitting than I thought it would be, based on what the ball feels like just handling it. It's not soft, but it's not offensively rough as I feared. The varigated stuff does have some blue in it, but again, blame the shoddy photographer! Maybe once I master blogging, I'll take a photography class. My aunt and uncle took a digital class together a few Saturday mornings, and both of them loved it. Quality time with the husband, maybe?

And last, but hardly least, in this post of photos, we have the colors for my sweet mother inlaw's dishrags. She's so dang supportive, and she hasn't been gifted with anything since the scarf bonaza I went on during the winter, whilst I was reminding myself how to knit. It's time. I even found a cute camper pattern for their camper (duh?), but as I found, printed it, and left it at work (or in the car?), I can't tell you where to find it. Sorry. Maybe when I announce it as a work in progress or an FO, or... The ball on the left is for her house kitchen, and I hope I remember the colors correctly for her new camper, but whether I do or not, the right is for her camper rags. I anticipate making several of the camper rags, for my mother inlaw's best friend (also like a mother to me - I live in the same community where I was raised for the first 11 years of my life), my sister, and probably a few other mutal friends who camp.

I'm thinking of working on the art of blogging a bit, now that the taxes are done (State and Federal, thanks so much). I thought I had an FO list, so I actually had a bit of difficulty last night, showing a friend blankie #3. She thinks that's what she's getting (she's in the due in August-September batch), but since I've watched her grow up and she's the closest thing to a little sister I have, she's getting a blankie I'll have to seam together. Yeah, I love her and her hubby THAT MUCH. (And my apologies to those who don't get seamed blankies, but I also know they'll love it no matter how badly I botch it. There's also an advantage to getting blankie #4 or 5+, because I'm still on a rather steep learning curve.) Which reminds me, I need to pick yarn and pattern for hubby's summer afghan. Ugh.

More joining, more learning... I'm trying to figure out how to add a button without TBL. I said I wasn't joining THIS, but after knitting with the cotton, I changed my mind. I sometimes can't wear wool directly against my skin, so this is something I should explore! Stay tuned for the can she make a button without TBL!